For those who are home, and for those who are on the way. For those who support the historic and just return of the land of Israel to its people, forever loyal to their inheritance, and its restoration.

Thursday, February 8, 2018

In the War on Terror, Europe is no Friend of Israel - by Judith Bergman

There is something fundamentally wrong that while Israel uses its expertise to save European citizens from terrorism, Europe supports and funds Arab terrorism against Israeli citizens.

Israel is famous for its security expertise and countries throughout the world seek it out, knowing that it is virtually unmatched.

India, many of the countries of Africa as well as Europe are among the beneficiaries of Israel’s security know-how and intelligence sharing. Yes, the same Europe which in the words of EU Foreign Policy chief Federica Mogherini, is the largest collective contributor to the PA, the terrorist entity that continues to incite, orchestrate and financially reward terrorism.

Recently, a report in the German magazine, Der Spiegel, revealed that Israel is part of a secret counter- terrorism coalition that gathers intelligence on ISIS terrorists who return from Syria to Europe. The intelligence collection and anti-terror campaign reportedly includes 21 states. Benjamin Netanyahu also recently said that Israel had helped thwart several dozen major terror attacks in Europe, even attacks involving ‘civil aviation’.

“When we talk about ISIS it’s important to understand that Israel helps Europe in two fundamental ways”, Netanyahu said, “The first is that we have, through our intelligence services, provided information that has stopped several dozen major terrorist attacks, many of them in European countries. Some of these could have been mass attacks, of the worst kind that you have experienced on the soil of Europe and even worse, because they involve civil aviation. Israel has prevented that, and thereby helped save many European lives.”

Nations should help each other out, there is no question about that. Terrorism is an international problem and it must be fought across borders. Still, something is wrong with this picture. Take this example: Back in November 2015, a specific intelligence warning from Israel led German authorities to call off a soccer game between Germany and the Netherlands. Around the same time, however, German department stores were removing Israeli wine from their shelves because the European Union had released its new guidelines about labeling Israeli goods from Judea and Samaria, the Golan Heights and east Jerusalem.

There is something fundamentally wrong about the fact that Israel uses its expertise to save European citizens from terrorism, while Europe uses its taxpayer money to support and enable terrorism against Israeli citizens.

Despite the cooperation – which Israel also benefits from, such as when it bought submarines from Germany – this glaring asymmetry is still there, it cannot be whitewashed; it is the giant stained elephant in the room, which neither Israeli, nor European leaders seem to want to acknowledge, at least not in public.

Europe does not even appear to view the PA’s terrorism as something that needs to be condemned anymore. In her last meeting with Abbas recently, Federica Mogherini acted as if Abbas were Prince Charming, and not Mr. Death, never mentioning the terrorism that is his very nature, and promising to stand even stronger at his side, while he seeks to destroy Israel.

Would it not be reasonable for Israel to ask itself, whether it should help leaders who aid and abet, with material financial support, those who seek to destroy it? In addition, how much should Israel help EU countries, who consistently vote against it in international forums, such as the UN?

Where is the limit between sound policy, strategic interest and suspiciously beginning to resemble a doormat? Perhaps those who need Israel’s help should be asked to reciprocate in more material ways than they are presently doing. Just a thought.

In general, world leaders, several of whom not only want to boycott Israel, but also desperately want to see it disappear from the face of the earth, have no trouble having their pampered bodies protected by Israeli made security equipment, such as the surveillance equipment that protected the participants of the Paris climate summit in 2015.

Similarly, Israel supplies the world with amazing technology and medications, making Jews-haters everywhere suspend their hatred, for as long as it takes to save their lives.

Even PA and Hamas leaders seek Israeli medical assistance after all, which raises the following side issue: Can a boycott really be that selective? Should it not be all encompassing?

Saving lives is a sacred duty and one that Israel takes very seriously. It is honorable and right that Israel has helped to save European lives from terrorism.

However, is it not time that Europe reciprocated at least by not paying for the murders of Israeli Jews?

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Judith Bergman is a columnist and political analystYou can find more in depth articles on Israel and the Middle East @en.mida.org.il

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About Me

I visited Hevron in November 2000 after the outbreak of the Rosh Hashanah War to see what could be done to assist in the face of the growing daily attacks on the community. After returning to work for the community in the summer of 2001, a bond and a love was forged that grows to this day. My wife Melody and I merited to be married at Ma'arat HaMachpela and now host visitors from throughout the world every Shabbat as well as during the week. Our goal, "Time to come Home!"